How to Get Tech Support Help
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If you need help with technology, look for a tech support service that offers client references, reviews and case studies. It is also a good idea to find out if the company has experience in your industry. Technical customer service differs from regular customer service because they focus on resolving specific products. Often, companies offer online support for their hardware and software.
Do Your Research
When it comes to finding a good tech support service, look for one with previous client references and reviews. You can also check out their website to find out what services they offer. Many of these services offer different pricing models, such as monthly subscriptions or a pay-as-you-go system. Some even allow you to request a one-time fix, which can be helpful for small businesses or individuals.
Once you do call for tech support help, be prepared to explain in detail what is going on with your product. Make sure you have all the information the technician needs, including the model and serial number of the device, as well as any error messages that appear. During the session, try to remain patient and polite as you work through the problem. Tech support representatives often deal with frustrated product users, and the best ones understand this and handle each customer with empathy. This can boost overall user experience with a company, which is why so many consumers prefer to purchase their products from companies that provide quality tech support.
Know What to Expect
Whether you’re calling for tech support help at home or in the office, be prepared to spend some time on the phone. Depending on what you’re contacting them for, it might be more efficient to try some basic troubleshooting steps yourself first.
Then again, sometimes it’s impossible to resolve a problem without getting the expertise of someone else. Either way, being aware of what to expect will help you manage your expectations and stay calm.
Tech support reps typically follow a standard procedure and will ask you a series of questions and give you things to do that may seem irrelevant to your computer problem. Objecting to these seemingly unrelated steps will not speed up the process any faster and may actually cause more frustration. In addition, the representative will log a ticket for you to refer back to later. This ticket is also referred to as an issue number, reference number or incident number, depending on your company’s IT support system.
Be Prepared for a Long Phone Call
When a customer calls tech support, they often feel impatient and frustrated by the wait time. It’s important to make sure that the caller is not put on hold too long, especially during busy times. It is also important to provide a friendly greeting and transfer them to the appropriate person quickly. Some companies may prefer to use warm transfers (where the agent stays on the line to introduce themselves and the customer to the next agent) while others may prefer to use cold transfers.
Even if you aren’t the one to solve the problem, don’t leave the call until you have confirmed that you have logged all of the relevant information into a ticket and that the problem has been solved. This will show the caller that you are invested in their experience and care about resolving the issue.
Small talk, positive language, active listening, smiles and calling customers by name—these things may seem insignificant but they can have a huge impact on the overall experience. MAP’s IT services and call center solutions are dedicated to representing your business in a professional, helpful manner.
Stay Calm
Tech support reps need to be able to sympathize with their customers. They must also be able to think through the problem and find solutions on their own. They may need to follow strict metrics but they must also be able to prioritize the needs of each customer.
Whether they're dealing with an issue related to software, hardware or the Internet, it's important for tech support professionals to remain calm and polite. They need to make their customers feel comfortable and reassure them that they will resolve their issue quickly.
Even the best tech support representatives will probably experience angry customers from time to time. It's not personal; it's just the nature of the job. They should remember that their anger doesn't have anything to do with them and their frustration should not affect their work performance. Keeping this in mind can help them stay focused on their task and make sure that they meet the required metrics.